Stephen Root has booked a spot in Fox’s supernatural thrillerThe Empty Man, written and helmed by David Prior. Based on Cullen Bunn’s graphic novel from Boom! Studios, the pic follows an ex-cop who discovers a sinister presence around him while investigating the disappearance of a friend’s teenage daughter. Root plays Arthur Parsons, a charismatic leader of a cult that is suspected to be connected to a string of local disappearances. Ross Richie and Stephen Christy will produce the project, which is currently shooting in South Africa. Root will soon be seen as a regular opposite Bill Hader and Henry Winkler in Hader’s HBO comedy Barry. He is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Japanese-American actor Mackenyu has joined the cast of Legendary Pictures’Pacific Rim 2, the follow up to Guillermo del Toro and Travis Beacham 2013 sci-fi film, which Universal is releasing February 23. 2018. Steven S. DeKnight will direct the sequel that stars John Boyega. Thomas Tull, Mary Parent, Jon Jashni, and del Toro will produce the film with Boyega’s Upper Room Productions. Cale Boyter will exec produce. Mackenyu will next star in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure based on a manga comic book, directed by Takashi Miike. He is repped by Don Buchwald & Associates and Asian Cinema Entertainment.